Envelope folding machine



16, 1953 w. L. REINEMAN ENVELOPE FOLDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1966 INVENTOR. WILLIAM L. REINEMAN 446E mm 8 6 .L m w .7. 9 a b .59 e: A ll..||l||- llll Ill N01 09 ML 8 ATTORNEY I July 16, 1968 w, RElNEMAN 3,392,638

ENVELOPE FOLDING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR. WILLIAM L. REINEMAN BY W ATTORNEY l 1 July 16, 1968" w. 1.. REINEMAN 3,392,638

ENVELOPE FOLDING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 |OO W //i ee zo FIG. 5 F I 6.6

V/ In FIG 8 25 E I28 I30 I00 V 3A IIT! :2'6 es zo FIG. 9 FIG. IO

INVENTOR.

WILLIAM L. REINEMAN ATTORNEY (a July 16, 1968 I w. L. REiNEMAN 3,

ENVELOPE FOLDING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 25 H6 H7 Q/ I35 I44 II? INVENTOR. 25* WILLIAM L.REINEMAN D Q BY F |G.17 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,392,638 ENVELOPE FOLDING MACHINE William L. Reineman, Brighton, N.Y., assignor to Rochester Envelope Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 20, 1966. Ser. No. 558,865 3 Claims. (CI. 93-84) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for folding envelopes; and, more particularly, to machines for folding envelopes used in mailing exposed photographic film to processors for development and printing.

When a person purchases a roll of film, he may be required to pay not only for the roll but also for developing and printing the exposed film. In other instances, he may merely pay the price for the roll of film itself, and, if he wishes, may at the same time pay the charge for developing and printing the film. In either case, he receives a bag or envelope in which to mail the roll of film, after it has been exposed, to the processor for development and printing. Up until relatively recently the carrier was a cloth sack with a tag on it bearing the name and address of the processor, and the return address of the photographer. Because cloth sacks are expensive, efforts have been made to develop satisfactory paper envelopes in which to mail the exposed film.

One problem with envelopes is to be able to fold them within small enough a compass to go into the box or carton in which the roll of film itself is packed for sale. In order for the paper envelopes to be practical, it must be possible to fold them into the desired compass at high speed, and to provide means for holding the envelopes folded until they are ready for use.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine for high speed folding envelopes of the character described into the desired compass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for folding the described envelopes and for automatically applying a sticker to the folded envelope to hold it in folded position.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1A and 1B together are a plan view of an envelope folding machine built according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG..2 is a rear view of an envelope, such as may be folded in a machine built according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1A looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a part side elevation, part longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1A looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the first folds made in the envelope by the means illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section on the line 77 of FIG. 1A, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the fold made in an envelope by the portion of the machine illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 1B looking in the direction of the arrows;

3,392,638 Patented July 16, 1968 FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the fold made by the portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a section on the line 1111 of FIG. 1B looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the fold in the envelope made by the portions of the machine illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of FIG. 13 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view showing the last fold made in the envelope by the portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a section on the line 1515 of FIG. 1B looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view showing the label applied to the folded envelope to hold the folds in place.

The envelope to be folded is fed into the machine illustrated bottom end first, and then is fed transversely between scoring rollers which indent the envelope at spaced points along its length along the lines on which it is subsequently to be folded. From the scoring rollers the envelope is delivered onto an endless belt so that it extends transversely of the direction of travel of the belt. The belt carries the envelope under folding bars which first effect folds in the envelope adjacent its top and approximately half-way the remainder of its length, which then successively fold the latter part of the envelope over on itself, and the top portion of the envelope down onto the uppermost fold of the rest of the envelope. As the belt carries the now completely folded envelope along, the envelope trips a lever causing a flag to be swung clear of a photoelectric cell, so that a beam of light can energize the cell to trip conventional apparatus that delivers and aflixes a label to the envelope, adhering it to the top flap of the envelope and to the topmost fold of the rest of the envelope, thereby to hold the folded envelope securely in folded position. The folded envelope is then discharged from the machine.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, 20 denotes a bed or plate, which may be supported in any suitable manner, as by legs (not shown) above the floor of the factory in which the machine is being used.

An envelope, such as is to be folded, is denoted at E in FIG. 2. It may be made from a single sheet of paper, folded upon itself to provide a front F, two rear flaps 22 and 23, a bottom flap 24 which is folded over the bottoms of the rear flaps, and glued thereto, and a top flap 25 which is adapted to be fastened over the rear flap 'by a conventional winged fastener 26 that is riveted to the rear flaps, and that is adapted to be passed through the hole 27 in a paste'board grommet 28 and in the top flap 25 to secure the top flap in position. The grommet is glued to the back of the top flap 25.

The envelopes to be folded are fed to the machine fiat with the bottom end forward, the sides being guided between parallel rails 30 (FIG. 1A). A conventional feeding mechanism pushes the envelopes successively off the rails onto an endless belt 31, which travels over pulleys 32 and 33 that are secured to shafts 34 and 35, respectively, one of which is driven by a motor (not shown) or from any other suitable source of power.

The envelopes are held down on the belt by a ball slide, whose balls 42 contact the envelopes. This ball slide is mounted above a table 70, above the belt 31. A stop 43 on the table extending over the belt serves to limit the inward movement of the envelopes so that each will be properly aligned for processing.

The envelopes are pushed from under slide in between pairs of scoring rollers. The upper rollers of each pair are denoted at 45, and the lower rollers at 46 (FIGS. 1A and 3). The upper rollers are mounted on a shaft 47 and the lower rollers on a shaft 48.

The scoring rollers of each pair are set so close to one another that the envelopes just pass between them; and the different pairs of scoring rollers are spaced axially in accordance with the distance apart of the transverse folds to be made in the envelopes. The scoring rollers serve to condition the envelopes for subsequent easy folding along the several scoring lines.

For pushing the envelopes off the belt 31 in between the scoring rollers, any conventional or suitable pushing mechanism may be employed. That shown comprises a frame 50 (FIG. 3), comprising a pair of parallel upper rods 52 from the forward ends of which depend two parallel rods 54 that are secured to the forward ends of the rods by block and setscrew combinations 55. Angle iron shoes 57 are secured to the lower ends of the rods 54. The upright web portions of these shoes engage the sides of the envelopes to push the envelopes off the belt 31 in between the scoring rollers 45, 46 when the pusher 50 is moved forward.

Reciprocation of the pusher 50 is effected by a rotary cam 60 (FIGS. 1A and 3), which is secured to a shaft 61 that is journaled in pillow blocks 62 which are secured to a plate 64 that is carried in the frame of the machine. Cam 60 engages a lever 66, which is held against the periphery of the cam by a coil spring 67 that is connected at one end to the lower end of the lever 66 and at its opposite end to the block 64. Lever 66 is connected at its upper end to a horizontal shaft 68, which is journaled in pillow blocks 69 on table 70. Secured to the shaft 68 are two parallel arms 72 which are connected by setscrew and block combinations 74 to the rear ends of rods 52.

Shaft 61 is driven by a motor (not shown) or by any other suitable or convenient means. As the cam 60 revolves, it rocks the lever 66 back and forth, which imparts rocking movement to shaft 68, and through the arms 72 to the frame 50 to effect reciprocation of the shoes 57.

From the scoring rollers 45, 46 the envelopes pass between rotary feed rollers 80, 81 (FIG. 3), which are secured to parallel shafts 82, 83, respectively. One of the feed rollers may be driven by a motor or any other suitable means.

From feed rollers 80, 81, the envelopes are fed onto an endless belt 86 which runs over pulleys 88 and 92 (FIGS. 1A, 1B, 3 and 4) that are secured to shafts 89 and 94, respectively. These shafts are journaled in pillow blocks 84- (FIG. 1A) and 93 (FIG. 1B), respectively; and shaft 94 may be driven by a motor or by any other suitable means.

From the feed rollers 80, 81 (FIG. 3), each envelope passes under the flexible lip 85 of a plate 87 and is engaged by the inwardly curved front portion 101 of a bar 99, that extends along the full length of the machine at one side of belt 86. Plate 87 is brazed or welded or otherwise secured to the bottom face of a bar 90 (FIGS. 1A and which is slightly spaced from bar 99 and is mounted parallel thereto. Bar 90 is beveled off at the juncture of its top and inside edges, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 5, in such way that the width of the bevel surface 91 increases from front to rear. Plate 87 and bar 90 are resiliently suspended from the overhanging arms of brackets 95 that are fastened to plate 20 to overhang bar 99. Bolts 97 carried by the bracket arms 95 thread into bar 90 to support the bar; and coil springs 98 are interposed between the bracket arms and bar 90.

Bar 99 acts as a guide along one side of belt 86. At the other side of the belt 86 there is another guide bar 100 secured to plate 20. On this bar 100 there is mounted and secured a bar 102 (FIGS. 1A and 5). The side face 108 of the bar 102 is inclined from front to back, converging toward the opposed face 91 of the rail 90 rearwardly. Secured by a bracket 110 to the bar 102 is a wire rod 112, which is curved across the top of bar 102, and extends over the rear end of bar 90 and over the rear of plate 87, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 5.

The curved face 101 of bar 99 engages the envelope adjacent the tab end 25 thereof as the envelope enters onto belt 86 and gradually bends this end of the envelope upwardly t0 the position shown at 25 in FIG. 6. At the same time, the bar through its inclined face 91 in cooperation with wire 112 effects an upward fold of the envelope approximately half-way of its length as denoted at 116 in FIG. 6. The rear end of wire 112 then bends the part 116 of the envelope down over the part 117, as shown in FIG. 8.

Suspended by a bracket arm 120 above bar 99 (FIG. 9) is a bar 122 which is supported from bracket arm 120 by a bolt 124 that threads into the bar 122. A coil spring 125, that is interposed between the bracket 120 and the bar 122, serves to press the bar 122 constantly downwardly. The bar 122 has a rearwardly-extending portion of reduced cross-section at its rear which has an inclined upper surface 126, as shown in FIGS. 1B, 9 and 11. Fastened to the underface of the bar 122, as by brazing or welding, is a plate 128.

Suspended from plate 100 by two arms 133 (FIGS. 1A, 1B and 9) to project laterally over the belt 86 is a plate 130, which is curved at its forward end, as shown in FIGS. 1A. This plate carries a bracket arm 134 which has mounted thereon a curved rod 132 (FIGS. 1B and 9) that extends downwardly over the plate 128. Plate 130, rod 132 and surface 126 together effect fold of the portions 116 and 117 of the envelope approximately midway of their lengths at score line 135, as shown in FIG. 10.

The envelope is carried by belt 86 under rod 132 so that the further portions of the bars 122 and 134 then effect downward folding of the portions 116 and 117 of the envelope along the score line 135 as shown in FIG. 12.

Supported by the arm 141 from bar 130 (FIGS. 1B and 13) is a strap which cooperates with a plate 142 to effect downward fold of the top portion 25 of the envelope, over the previous folds, along the score line 144, as shown in FIG. 14. Plate 142 is carried by an arm 143 (FIG. 13) from bar 99.

Mounted above the track and the conveyor belt is conventional apparatus, designated as a whole at (FIG. 1B), for dispensing labels. This apparatus forms no part of the present invention. It is adapted to hold a roll of labels and, when actuated, cuts off a label, delivers it on top of the topmost fold of the envelope, and causes it to adhere to the envelope by air pressure.

As the envelopes folded as shown in FIG. 14 travel with belt 86, they come in contact with a pivoted lever (FIG. 1B), one arm 166 of which extends over the belt 86 to be engaged by the folded envelope. The other arm 168 of the lever is disposed between the light beam projector 162 and the photoelectric eye 163. The photoelectric eye 163 is electrically connected to the label dispenser 150 in such way that when the arm 168 is rocked out of registry with the light beam, the apparatus 150 is actuated to dispense a label, and to blow a blast of air at the label to aflix it to the envelope. The label is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 at 170 affixed to the envelope. The plates 140 and 142 are cut away as shown in FIG. 13 to permit the label to be dispensed from apparatus 150 onto the folded envelope.

From under the label dispenser, the belt 86 conveys the now-folded and sealed envelope under a pressure plate (FIGS. 4, 15 and 1B), which is suspended by means of bolts 176 from arms 177 that are fastened at their outer ends to the bar 96.

There is an opening 180 in the plate 175 through which there protrudes a pressure roller 182 which is fastened on a shaft 184 that is journaled at opposite ends in pillow blocks 186 fastened to the plate 20. The roller 182 and pressure plate 175 serve to affix the label 170 securely to the envelope and press the envelope firmly into its folded form. The now-folded and sealed envelope is then carried by belt 86 over pulley 92 (FIG. 1B) and dis charged from the machine into a chute or the like.

While the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it Will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A machine for folding envelopes which has a top portion and a body portion and Which are adapted for use for mailing exposed photographic film for processing, comprising (a) a conveyor for conveying an envelope through the machine from a delivery point to a discharge point,

(b) means disposed to engage the envelope as it is carried through the machine for first folding the body portion of the envelope on itself and then folding the top portion of the envelope over the folded body portion, and

(0) means for affixing a label to the envelope to secure the top portion over the folded body portion, Wherein said folding means first bends the top portion of the envelope upwardly from the body portion of the envelope and simultaneously bends the remaining portion of the envelope upwardly at a point approximately half-way of the length of said remaining portion, then folds said upwardly bent part of said remaining portion down onto the rest of the remaining portion, then folds said remaining portion again onto itself, and then folds the top portion over the so-folded body portion.

2. A machine for folding envelopes which have a top portion and a body portion and which are adapted for use for mailing exposed photographic film for processing, comprising (a) a conveyor for conveying an envelope through the machine from a delivery point to a discharge point,

(b) means disposed to engage the envelope as it is carried through the machine for first folding the body portion of the envelope on itself and then folding the top portion of the envelope over the folded body portion, and

(c) means for afiixing a label to the envelope to secure the top portion over the folded body portion, and equipped with means for dispensing labels, wherein a double-armed lever is pivoted intermediate its ends alongside said conveyor with one arm of the lever in position to be engaged by the folded envelope and with the other arm disposed between a light source and a photoelectric eye, so that said other arm Will be rocked out of the way when the folded envelope engages said one arm, and said photoelectric eye is connected to said dispensing means to actuate the same.

3. A machine for folding envelopes which have a top portion and a body portion and which are adapted for use for mailing exposed photographic film for processing, comprising (a) a conveyor for conveying an envelope through the machine from a delivery point to a discharge point,

(b) means disposed to engage the envelope as it is carried through the machine for first folding the body portion of the envelope on itself and then folding the top portion of the envelope over the folded body portion, and

(c) means for affixing a label to the envelope to secure the top portion over the folded body portion, and equipped with means for dispensing labels, and having means disposed to lie in the path of a folded envelope, after the envelope has been folded, and before it reaches said affixing means, and operable by the folded envelope to cause said dispensing means to dispense a label onto the envelope.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 773,484 10/ 1904 Drucklieb 93-1 1,538,299 5/1925 Nasmith 93-491 2,177,722 10/1939 Josephs 93-93 X 2,291,280 7/1942 Joplin 53-137 2,691,922 10/1954 Pearce 93-93 X 2,776,094 1/1957 Edwards 53-137 X 3,206,911 9/1965 Carle 53-137 2,677,317 5/1954 Vogt 93-1 WAYNE A. MORSE, JR., Primary Examiner. 

